Thursday, January 24, 2013

Remembering Rasullulah (pbuh)

What does Mohamed Al Mazem mean with, "For you I would sacrifice my mother and father,"?

That's a strange idea for many of us. Maybe when I first came to Islam, I would have wrinkled up my nose at such a notion. I might have even wondered if the singer meant a human sacrifice!

Yet, here I am (10 years later) and I understand him. We need to come to such a place in our lives that we would rather follow the ways of a blessed man than the ways of our ancestors---even our most immediate family. Family is not worth following like our spiritual guide.

When we get rid of our need to be so connected to blood and body, we can hold tighter to our spirit and our faith. Loving the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) is freeing in this regard. Of course we can still respect our moms and dads! We simply release them as our ultimate role models. They can only get us so far down the path; to get all the way to Jannah; Paradise we need The Last Messenger (peace be upon him).

Today is when Prophet Muhammad's birthday is remembered (peace be upon him). More than anything this day is an affirmation that he lived AND died. He was a man. He never claimed he was God (astragferallah) --same as Isa/Jesus (peace be upon him) never claimed divinity. The prophets were not sent to us to be worshipped but rather to help us worship The One True God.

In honor of this great man, I recommitted myself this fajr to the straight (but not the narrow). I remembered how to find peace amid chaos. I made choices for goodness. I asked myself the very same questions I've been asking the kids at school, "Is it good? Is it true? Is it kind? Is it helpful?"

May all of us... Muslim, Christian, Jewish...and those who are yet undecided...make this day the most we can and make ourselves the best we can be.

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